Suction cleaner



Dec. 28, 1943. w. D. SELLERS 2,337,936

' SUCTION CLEANER Filed June 11, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR WillidmD Sellers Dec. 28, 1943; w. D. SELLERS SUCTION CLEANER Filed June-111941 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 liq/0111111111,.

INVENTO William llSel/ers ATTORNEY Dec. 28, 1943.- w. D. sLLERs SUCTIONCLEANER Filed June 11, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 3IIII/II/IIIIIIIIII/IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIV/IIIIII/IIIIIIIII/IIIIIIIIII/IIIIIII a g 2 I I I I I 4 I I I I I I 4 INVENTOR illiam D.Sellers ATTORNEY 'Dec. 28, 1943. w. b. SELLERS SUCTION CLEANER FiledJune 1% 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR 3 Y mm Dec 28, 1943., w. D.SELLERS I 2,337,936

SUCTION CLEANER Filed June 11, 1941 5 Sheets- Sheet s ATTORNEY PatentedDec. 28,- 1943 SUCTION CLEANER William D. Sellers, Glen Ellyn, 111.,assignor to The Hoover Company, North Canton, Ohio, a

corporation of Ohio {Application June 11, 1941, Serial No. 397,591

8 Claims.

The present invention relates to suction cleaners and particularly to anew and novel arrangement of parts in a suction cleaner. Morespecifically .the invention comprises an improved suction cleanerconstruction in which the parts are so arranged as to provide a mainbodyor floor unit which incorporates the cleaner nozzle and thedirt-separating means, the suction-creating mean forming a part of thehandle unit which is pivotally mounted on the main body.

In the use of a suction cleaner its height is a a factor of importance.It is often desirable to pass the cleaner under articles having arelatively low clearance above the floor, and if the cleaner istoo highit will not pass thereunder. In a cleaner constructed in accordance withthe present invention the cleaner height can b greatly reduced belowthat of the normal cleaner with a resultant increase in the range ofcleaner usefulness. It is also desirable that the suction cleaner nozzlemaintain an'optimum adjustment relative to the surface coveringundergoing cleaning in order that the cleaner may function at all timesat maximum efiectiveness. With the parts of the suction cleaner arrangedas in the present invention it is possible for the surfacecontactingnozzle, and also the agitator therein, if one be included, tube at alltimes in a position of maximum cleaning effectiveness with respect tothe surface covering undergoing cleaning. The greatest part of theweight of the machine is carried by the rear wheels with the frontwheels carrying but a very small part. Accordingly, the tendency of thenozzle, under the influence of cleaner weight, to sink into the surfacecovering undergoing cleaning is minimized.

The task of removing the collected dirt from the modern suction cleaneris one of its objectionable features. In the suction cleaner constructedin accordance with the present invention this problem has been solved ina veryjsatistactory manner by the provision of easily cleaneddirt-containers which are readily removed from the body of the machineand which are'also readily replaceable. The arrangement of parts is suchthat it is feasible to use a high speed driving motor with tandemsuction-creating fans of a type which ordinarily is not used in thefloor type of suction cleaner in which the entire machine is manuallypropelled over the surface cov. ering being cleaned. This is madepossible because the air is pre-flltered before passing through thesuction-creating unit and because when an agitator be incorporated, thelength of the driving belt is such that a relatively great reduction indriving speed can be accomplished without undue belt wear.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improvedsuction cleaner. It is another object of the invention to provide a newand improved arrangement of functionally necessary parts in a suctioncleaner. A further object of the invention is to provide amanuallypropelled suction cleaner in which the ambulatory main bodycomprises only the cleaner nozzle and the dirt-separating means. A stillfurther object of the invention is to provide a manually propelledsuction cleaner in which an ambulatory main body or floor unit comprisesth cleaner nozzle and dirt-filtering means, the cleaner handle whichincorporates the suction-creating means being pivotally supportedthereon. A

still further object of the invention is to provide a manually propelledsuction cleaner in which the dirt-laden cleaning air is filtered withinthe floor supported main body and then passes into the handle unit,including the suction-creating means, in the clean condition. Stillanother obiect of the invention is to provide a manually propelledsuction cleaner in which the dirt-carrying air passes directly into a,dirt separator from the cleaner nozzle, the separator including aremov-. able rigid impermeable receptacle or tray. A furtheryobject ofthe invention is to provide a suction cleaner of the, manually propelledtype in which the cleaner handle includes suctioncreating means and ispivoted to the main cleaner body immediately above the rear supportingwheels, means being provided to prevent the cleaner from nosingdownwardly when the machine is lifted by the handle. A further object ofthe invention is to provide a suction cleaner of the type in which thecleaner main body includes the nozzle and dirt-separating means, the airpassing in a filtered condition from the latter means to thehandle-carried suction-creating means in a cleaned condition, therebeing powertransmittlng means from the driving unit of thesuction-creating means to the surface covering agitator positionedwithin the cleaner nozzle.

These and other more specific objects will appear upon reading thefollowing specification and claims and upon considering in connectiontherewith the attached drawings to which they relate.

Referring now to the drawings in which preferred embodiments of thepresent invention are disclosed, and in which the same referencecharacter refers to the same part throughout:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section through a suction cleanerconstructed in ac- I position of the filtering element in thedirtseparating chamber in the central body portion of the machine andalso the manually remov- I able dirt-receiving drawer positionedtherebelow;

Figure 4 is a partial vertical section of the forward portion of thecleaner, as illustrated in Figure 1, but with the dusting tool converterinserted into the nozzle for ofi-the-floor clean- Figure is a horizontalsection through the main body looking down from the line 5-5 of Fi urewhich extends from the lips 3 and 4 of the nozzle through the body ofthe machine rearwardly t the ports I8 in the passageways l3. The centralbody portion of the casing l includes a removable cover element 21 whichis formed along each of its sides with parallel spaced downwardlyextending side walls 22 and 23 which contact and form extensions of theside walls 6 and 1.01 the main portion of the Figure 6 is a longitudinalvertical section through the second preferred embodiment of theinvention and illustrates a different type of removable dirt-filteringreceptacle and also discloses the power transmission means between thedriving motor and the rotary agitator positioned within the cleanernozzle; A

Figure 'l is a bottom view of the cleaner illustrated in Figure 6,portions of the bottom plates being broken away to show thepower-transmitting jack shaft which extends transversely or laterallyfrom the motor shaft to the powertransmitting belt;

Figure 8 is a vertical 'section upon the line 8-8 of Figure 6 and showsthe position within the cleaner body of the power-transmitting belt,

, the dirt-separating means, and also the exhaust air passageway.

Referring again to the drawings and to Figures 1 to 5, inclusive, inparticular, the first preferred embodiment of the invention isillustrated and is seen to comprise an ambulatory main body I which atits forward end is formed as a transversely extending nozzle 2 havingsurface-contacting front and rear lips 3 and 4, re= spectively.Rearwardly of the nozzle 2 the body I in its central portion is formedas a chamber or housing having side walls 6, outer appearance side walls'I spaced from the walls 6, a front wall 8 formed with an opening 8which leads to the nozzle, and a pair of spaced rear walls H and I2. Therear wall H is of lesser height than the wall l2 and the spacetherebetween opens into .rearwardly extending passageways l3 which canbeconsidered to form the rear portion of the body. Each passageway I3 isformed in its outer side by the body side walls 'I', at its top and rearby the rearwardly and downwardly curved integral top wall l4, and at theupper section of its inner wall by the walls l5 which are also integral.The bottom walls l6 of the passageways I 3, together with the lowersections I! of the spaced inner side walls, are separate members whichare secured fixedly in place. Circular ports or seats l8 are formed inthe inner apposed walls of the passageways l3 in the cooperating walls15 and I1 and these ports provide the egress for the cleaning air fromthe cleaner main body and also function to support rotatably the cleanerhandle as will be described. It is seen that the cleaner main body is soarranged that an air passageway is formed .casing between the front wall8 and the rear wall l2 ofthe central portion of the body. Outer walls 23make substantial straight line contact with the Walls 1 but, as isclearly illustrated in Figure 1, the line of contact of the adjacentwalls 6 and 22 comprises a multiplicity of interfitting angularprojections which intermesh in the manner of gear teeth. I

The interfitting walls 6 and 22 are adapted to clamp between them afilter element 24 of cloth. paper or fabric, or similar material whichis permeable to air but not to foreign material suspended therein. Thepurpose of the irregular contour of the line of contact of the walls 6and 22 is to provide as great a surface filtering area as possible. Itis evident that filter 24 separates the space aboveand below itself andbetween the walls 8 and II. The contours of the interfitting abuttingwalls upon the opposite sides of the filter 24 are identical and betweenthe projections of maximum extent upon the opposite walls there extendrigid spacers 26 which serve to support the filter 24 and to hold it inthe contours of the cofitting wall. In the assembled relationship. asclearly illustrated in Figures 1 and 3, the filter element 24 is clampedbetween the abutting walls 6 and 22 and is exposed on its underside toair entering from the nozzle 2 through the aperture 9. Air passingthrough the cleaner must pass through the filter member before it canenter the space thereabove and so gain entrance to the air passagewaysI3.

Immediately below the filter 24 in the central body portion of thecleaner, there is provided a removable d rt receptacle or drawer 28which is slidingly mounted within the central body portion fordisplacement from one side thereof. The outer face 29 of the receptacle28 forms a continuation of one side wall 1 while the side walls 3| abutthe inner walls 6, 8 and H upon the inside of the machine. Leaf springs32 on the bottom wall 33 of the central portion of the cleaner at alltimes urge the receptacle upwardly so that along the upper edges of itsside walls 3! it underlies and makes contact with. downwardly-facingoverhanging shoulders 34 which are formed upon the walls 6, 8 and l I.To eliminate air leakage around the dirt drawer the inside face of thefront wall 29 of the receptacle 28 is provided with a seal 35 ofsuitable material such as felt or rubber which makes abutting contact,with the cleaner casing. A manually releasable spring latch 36 bearsagainst the plate 29, as illustrated in Figure 3 and slightly compressesthe seal 35 and also holds the drawer in place. The cleaner main body orunit which has now been described is supported for movement upon asurface by means of spaced front wheels 4|, 4i and rear wheels 42, 42.The front nozzle height adjustment is at all times maintained inaccordance with the invention set forth in the co-pending application ofCharles H. Taylor, Serial No. 220,917, filed July 23,1938, now Patent2,267,764.

In the suction cleaner constructed in accordance with the presentinvention, the cleaner main body or floor unit which is supporteddirectly upon the surface covering includes the cleaner nozzle and thedirt-separating means, as described. The suction-creating means whichdraws the air through the nozzle, and also the filtering means, aremounted upon and form a part of the cleaner handle unit which ispivotally connected to the body unit as will now be described.

Referring to Figure 1 in particular, the cleaner handle is indicatedgenerally by the reference character 46 and while the upper end thereofis not illustrated it is of the usual well known type which includes ahandle grip and the usual electric switch by which the cleaner motor iscontrolled. The lower portion of the casing is seen to comprise ahollow, cylindrical conduit 41 which is reduced at its lower end to forma mounting portion 48 formed with side apertures .49 through whichextends a hollow cylindrical conduit and bearing member which is rivetedas at 52 to the neck portion 48 of the handle. The bearing element 5|extends into and seats rotatably within the circular seats l8 in theinner side walls of the air passageways I3' and serves to supportrotatably .the entire handle unit. The hollow bearing-element 5| isformed, it is to be noted, with an elongated slot 53 which interiorlyconnects it to the interior of the handle unit so that air may enter thehandle from the passageways l3. Attention is also directed to the factthat the handle 46 is pivotally mounted upon the fioor unitsubstantially immediately above the rear supporting wheels 42.

Positoned within the hollow conduit portion 41 of the handleis anelectric driving motor 54 suitably supported in spaced relationship tothe surrounding-casing .as by resilient supports 55, At the upper end ofthe motor 54 is positioned a multiple unit fan indicated generally .bythe reference character 51 which is mounted directly upon the motorshaft56. The fans are of the usual tandem type and cooperate with stationarybaiiles 58 carried fixedly by the cylindrical casing 41. The air isexhausted therefrom into the upper end of the cylindrical handle bodyportion 41 which is there divided, as is clearly illustrated in Figure1, by a central Wall portion 59 into a labyrinth or muflier, the wallsof which are lined by sound-absorbing material which functions to removesound vibration from the 7, air exhausted thereinto. An exhaust port 60permits the air to leave the cylindrical casing 41 after it hastraversed the labyrinth arrangement.

The general arrangement of parts in this first embodiment of theinvention has now been described but certain additional refinements willbe referred to before the operation of the cleaner is set forth. Thecleaner is so constructed and arranged as to be adapted for conversionfor Off-7 the-floor cleaning, either sucking or blowing. To

permit of the attachment of dusting tools for provides an aperture 63through which a dusting tool converter element 64 maybe inserted so asto connect to the aperture 9 and to seal the nozzle proper therefrom.The usual type of dusting tools may be connected to the converterelement 64 and when so connected, and in the operation of the machine,it is clear that cleaning air will be drawn therethrough and through theconverter element 64 into the machine in which it will be handled asthough it had arrived from the cleaner nozzle itself.

To permit of the use of dusting tools with positive pressure air inblowing use there is provided a pivoted valve element 66 in the baffle59 in the cleaner exhaust. Valve 66 normally closes an opening 61 whichis in exact alignment with the then fill the entire passageway leadingdirectly point 19, into contact with the sector ll.

, tion illustrated in Figure 1 by the weight of the off-the-fioor use,the nozzle 2 is provided in its ing 9 into the filter chamber, but inthe open position, as illustrated in Figure 4, the valve 8| to thepressure side of the suction-creating fans. When so connected thedusting tools will receive air under pressure through the converterelement 64 or its equivalent. The arrangement has the advantage that thepressure drop resulting from the passage of air through the labyrinth iseliminated.

, As in the usual cleaner, it is desired that the handle be free topivot within its operating range, and also that it can be moved tovertical and horizontal positions. In the cleaner constructed inaccordance with the present invention, this is madepossible and thehandle is not only movable as stated, but means are provided'whichprevent the cleaner casing from dropping or nosing downwardly when it islifted by the handle. To provide this control an arcuate sector 1| iscarried on the underside of the neck portion 48 of the handle. Sector 1|is formed with the usual seats 12, 13 and 14 which correspond to thevertical or storage position, the working operatingrange, and thehorizontal position of the handle. Cooperating with the sector H is aroller detent 16 carried by a two-sided lever arm 11, which is itselfspring-urged by a coil spring 18 at its pivot The force of spring 18acting upon roller detent 16 is sufiiciently great, and the sides of theseats 12, 13 and 14 are so contoured, that the handle cannot bedisplaced unintentionally from any seat. 7 The pivotal axis 19 iscarried by a rigid bracket 8| positioned between the spacedair-passageways l3 at the rear of the machine, and to the side arms ofthis bracket is pivoted at 82 an L- shaped frame 83 which carries theshaft 84 upon which therear wheels 42 are mounted. A coil spring 88 atall times exerts a force which tends to pivot the frame 83 in a.direction to lower the rear wheels, but the spring force is insufficientto accomplish this result when the machine is resting upon a supportingsurface so that with the cleaner in use the rear face of frame 83contacts the stationary bracket and is held in the posimachine.

The upper end oi. wheel-carrying frame 83 is formed as an abutment 81which is adapted to underlies. shoulder 88 on the pawl-carrying arms 11.With the machine resting upon the floor, as illustrated in Figure 1, theframe 83 is in its upper position and the abutment 81 is displaced fromunder the shoulder 88 upon the detent-carrying arm 11 and the latter isfree to pivot downwardly as when the detent is moved from one seat toanother on the sector 1 I. As the machine is initially lifted from asupporting surface covering, however, the coil spring 86 forces frame83, and of course the rear wheels 42, downwardly and the abutment 81moves under the shoulder 88. Thereafter the arm I1 cannot movedownwardly and it becomes impossible for the detent IE to ride over theshoulders at the extremities of each of the seats on the sector. Whenthis occurs, it is possible for the operator to lift the machine solelyby the handle and the front end of the machine cannot nose downwardlyfor it is impossible for the handle to pivot relative to the machineoutside of its range which corresponds to the particular sector seat inwhich the pressed detent I8 is positioned at that particular time. Uponthe machine again being placed upon a surface covering the rear wheel"is forced upwardly by the weight of the machine, the frame 83 moves tothe position illustrated in Figure 1, and thereafter free pivotalmovement of the handle is possible. L

The means of conversion of the machine from an on-the-fioor cleaner toan off-the-fio'or cleaner, and also the mechanism by whichthe.

machine is prevented from nosing downwardly when lifted by the handlehaving been described, it is now in order to describe the operation ofthe machine in its normal on-the-fioor use. In operation the cleaner isplaced in use by the operator energizing the cleaner motor by means ofthe common and well known switch which is nositioned at the upper end ofthe cleaner handle 46. The motor 54 rotates driving the suctioncreatingfan unit 51. The motor and fan are of the high speed, relatively smalldiameter type and create a suction of many inches of water, The interiorof the hollow handle body section 41 being directly connected to theinterior of the casing I of the machine, the suction of the fan unit iseffective therein and air is drawn into the nozzle 2 through and betweenthe surface-contacting lips 3 and 4. The surface covering undergoingcleaning is lifted into contact with these lips and the foreign materialtherein and thereon is dislodged and carriedupwardly into the nozzle andthrough the opening 9 into the dirt filtering chamber. As the suctionfrom the suction-creating unit is present within the casing and moreparticularly is present in the air passageways l3, and as thosepassageway are connected directly to the handle and also to the space.immediately above the filter 24, it is clear that-the air from thenozzle will be drawn upwardly through that airpermeable member. Theforeign material carried by the air, however, cannot pass through thefilter member 24 which, incidentally, has a total area whichsubstantially equals that of the normal filter bag of the usual suctioncleaner. This foreign material is retained upon the underside of thefilter and falls therefrom into the receptacle or drawer 28 which ispositioned immediately therebelow. The filtered air passes above thefilter 24 and into the air passageways I: at the rear of the machine.From the air passageways I: the air is drawn through the tubularmounting element into the hollow conduit portion "of thehandle past themotor 54, where it performs a cooling function, through thesuction-creating fans 51, finally to be exhausted into the sounddeadening labyrinth or mufiier from which it escapes through the exhaustoutlet 60 to atmosphere. Within the *mufller the sound v1- brationswhich have been impressed upon the air by its passage through thecleaner are removed, and as finally exhausted from the machine the airis in a quieted condition.

After an extended period of cleaner use it will become desirable toempty the collected dirt from the machine. This requires only that theoperator pivot the latch 36 on the side of the cleanerbody from theposition illustrated in Figure 3 to a substantially horizontal position.This will permit the drawer 28 to be withdrawn to the left by means of aforce exerted upon its front face 29. Upon being removed from themachine the receptacle 28 can be inverted whereupon the collectedmaterial will fall therefrom and thereafter it can be re-inserted intothe machine and again locked in place by the latch 86. In operationthere is substantially no leakage from the receptacle, th seal 35surrounding the only opening through which air could escape from themachine around the receptacle.

Ifafter prolonged use, it should become necessary to replace the dirtfilter 24 the operation is relatively simple. The operator first removesthe top cover plate 21. The irregular side walls 22, which clamp thefilter member in place upon the side walls 6, are removed with .the topand the operator can then lift the filter from its position within thebody and discard it. Thereafter a replacement filter, which may bemerely a sheet of paper, is positioned in the manner of the originalfilter, it being desirable for the operator to effect the conformationof the new filter at least roughly to its supporting surfaces.Thereafter the cover 2| is repositioned and the spacers 28 on the topcarry the sheet downwardly into position: With the top in position thenew filter is automatically clamped in place by the line contact betweenthe cooperating walls possible is through the filter element itself.

- 99 encircling the port 95.

corporation into the machine of a rotary agitator within the cleanernozzle, driven from the main driving motor 54 of the machine, and alsothrough the elimination of the corrugated filter member and its mountingand securing means of the first embodiment and the substitution thereforof the more common type of filter bag.

In the second embodiment of the machine the maincasing is indicated bythe reference character 9| and is seen to comprise a nozzle 92 havingadouble front wall and surface-contacting lips 88 and .94. The nozzle 92interiorly connects through a port 96 into the central compartment orhousing 98 of th machine which is adapted to contain and house thefiltering means. In this embodiment the filtering means comprises thebag 91 at the mouth of which is the bag ring Bag-ring-retaining meansare indicated by the reference character. I JI and are seen to include amanually displaceable latch element I02. A wire screen bag support I83surrounds the filter bag 91 for the major portion of its length andserves to space it interiorly from the side walls of the enclosinghousing 88. In its rearwall the receptacle 98 is provided at onesidewith an exhaust port or outlet port I04 which opens directly intoair passageway I05 similar in substantially all respects to thepassageways IS in the first embodiment one end thereof.

there being, however, but a single air passageway I05.

elements III and flexible brush elements H2. The

- agitator is rotatably supported upon a central stationarythrough-supporting shaft H3 and is rotated by means of a powertransmitting belt H4 which extends rearwardly at the side of the housing98 in a. belt channel H6, the belt pulley surface upon the agitatorbeing positioned near transmitting belt is derived from the drivingmotor 54 carried in the cleaner handle which also drives thesuction-creating means as in the first embodiment as will be immediatelydescribed.

, The handle unit, which includes the suctioncreating means and thedriving motor therefor, in this embodiment is substantially exacty likethat of the first embodiment, and is therefore,

only partially illustrated. There is one d fference, namely, that themotor shaft 55 extends downwardly toward the main casing of the cleanerand carries a beveled driving pinion H9. As in the first embodiment thelower end 48 of the hollow cylindrical section 41 of the handle ispivotally mounted upon its tubular mounting element 5|. That element, inthe present embodiment, rotatably seats at one side within the innerside wall of the air passageway I06 and wh le its opposite side issupport-ed in a similar seat formed in a specially provided verticalwall I20. The handle is pivotally mounted as in the first embodiment butair enters only from th air passageway I 06 upon one side thereof.

Power to drive the power gether w th the air entering the nozzle, passesupwardly and through the port 96 into the dirtand also the top and sidportions of the filterbag-containing housing and is normally secured inplace by means of an overhanging latch or hook I3I at one side and by amanually operable latch element I32 at the opposite side.

The operation of the present embodiment of.

the invention is very similar to that first described. In theon-the-floor cleaning operation the machine is propelled back and forthupon the surface covering by means of a force exerted by the operatorthrough the handle. The suction effective within the hollow handlecreated by the suction-creating means is also effective within thecleaner main casing, the latter being interiorly connected thereto,and'so cleaning air is drawn into the cleaner noz'zlebetween the lips 93and 94. The surface covering undergoing cleaning is lifted upwardly intocontact with those lips and is contacted by the agitator I09 andisbeaten and brushed to dislodge the foreign material therefrom. Thisforeign material, to-

bag 91. The latter is spaced from the surrounding walls of the housing98 by the wire spacing screen I03 and, as the pressure surroun ing thebag is reduced, the air is drawn through the air permeable fabricthereof. The'foreign material is retained with n the bag while the airpasses therethrough and from the receptacle 98 into the air passagewayI09. It is drawn thence through the hollow handle past thedriving motor.where it performs its cooling function. and is exhausted from the upperend of the cleaner handle'in the exact manner of the first embodiment.

During this operation the agitator is rotated by means of the rotatingforce received from the power-transmitt ng belt I I4 which is itselfdriven from the cleaner motor through the mechanism described comprisingthe gears. the power-transmitting belt and the driving pulley. Thedriving Positioned in the pivotal center line of the cleaner handle, andcarried by a bearing I2I relationship'is maintained in all angular.positions of the handle for, as is clearly illustrated in Figure 6,pivotal movement of the handle will serve merely to ,change the angularposit on of the shaft 54 relative to the driven shaft without shaft I22carries a driving pulley I24 and is additionally supported adjacentthereto by means of a second bearing I26 positioned within the in-' nerwall of the belt channel H6. It is 'seen that power is transmitteddirectly from the driving motor shaft through'thegears H9 and I23 to thejack shaft I22 from which point power is relayed through the belt H4 tothe rotary agi-' tator I09 within the nozzle. It is also clear thatbecause the shaft I22 is in the pivotal centerline of thehandle thedriving connection between the gears H9 and I23 will be maintained inall'angular positions of the handle, the point of contact of the gearsH9 and I23 merely movingaround that pivotal axis.

A removable elongated screw-held bottom plate I21 is provided for thebelt channel H9 and a properly shaped screw-held bottom plate I28 isprovided for the air passageway I08, the bottom wall of the main hollowbag-containing'passageway 98 being formed integrally with the lowerportion of the cleaner casing. One other detail of. body constructionwhich should be mentioned is the removable cover plate I29 which formsthe top of the bag containing housing. As is best illustrated in Figure8 this cover plate forms the top portion of the belt channel HIS in anyway varying itsdistance therefrom.

If, oif-the-floor use is desired, the pivoted valve element 6| can beopened to permit of a convert- 1 er to be connected to the port 96 as inthe man- 7 ner illustrated in the first embodiment. While the exhaustport in the handle is not illustrated it is identical with that oftheflrst embodiment and of course the conversion for blowing wouldtherefore be identical. The nosing downwardly of the cleaner upon beinglifted by force exerted through the handle is prevented in the presentembodiment by the same means as in. the first embodiment including thecooperative relationship existing between the downwardly spring pressedrear supporting wheels 42 and the hanrile-controlling means.

After considerable use it may become desirable to clean the filter bagand in such event the operator releases the, cover-securing latch I32and removes the cover I29. .Thereafter a pivotal movement of the latchI02 permits of the lifting upwardly of the bag ring 99 which, of course,carries with it the bag 91. The latter upon being removed from themachine can be cleaned in the usual manner and is thereafter replacedand again secured in place by the latch I02. Upon replacing the coverI29 and again latching it in place the machine is ready'for-furtheroperation.

I claim:

1. In a suction cleaner of the type having an ambulatory body unitincluding a'nozzle and dirt-separating means and a handle unit includingsuction-creating means and a driving motor therefor pivotally mounted onsaid body and having its motor shaft completely within said handle; asurface agitator in said nozzle, and power-transmitting means connectingsaid agitator to said motor shaft including a jack shaft in the pivotalaxis of the handle unit.

2. In a suction cleaner of the type having an ambulatory body unitincluding a nozzle and dirt-separating means and a pivoted handle unitvincluding suction-creating means and a driving motor therefor; asurface agitator in saidnozzle, and power-transmitting means connectingsaid agitator to said motor including a jack shaft in the pivotal axisof said handle, gear means connecting one end of said shaft to the shaftof the driving motor, a pulley upon the opposite end of said Jack shaft,and a powertransmitting belt connecting said pulley to said agitator soas not to alter the length of said belt upon pivotal movement of saidhandle unit.

3. In a suction cleaner of the type having an ambulatory body unitincluding a nozzle and dirt-separating means and a pivoted handle unitincluding suction-creating means and a driving motor therefor; a surfaceagitator in said nozzle, and power-transmitting means connecting saidagitator in said nozzle to said motor including a firstpower-transmitting element in the exact pivotal axis of said handleextended from one side thereof into engagement with the extended lowerend of the shaft of said motor at the pivotal axis of said handle unit,and a second power-transmitting element between said first element andsaid agitator.

4. In a suction cleaner of the type having an ambulatory body unitincluding a nozzle and dirt-separating means positioned rearwardlythereof and a pivoted handle unit including suction-creating means and amotorhaving its shaft extended in the direction of the length of andcompletely within said handle substantially into the pivotal axisthereof; a rotary surface agitator in said nozzle, a rotary shaftextended parallel to said agitator in the pivotal axis of said handleconnected in power-transmitting relationship to said motor shaft at thepivotal member at the pivotal axis of the handle unit.

axis of said handle unit, and means connecting said rotary shaft to saidagitator and extended at the side of said dirt-separating means.

5. In a suction cleaner of the type having an ambulatory body includinga nozzle and dirtseparating means and a pivoted handle unit includingsuction-creating means and a driving motor therefor; a surface agitatorin said nozzle,

a belt channel in said body along the side of said dirt-separatingmeans, a belt in said channel connected to said agitator, and ajackshaft in the pivotal axis of said handle connected to said belt insaidchannel and to the shaft of said driving motor so as not to alterthe length of said belt upon pivotal movement of said handle unit.

6. 'The structure recited in the preceding claim characterized in thatsaid motor is positioned adjacent the pivotal axis of said handle withone end of its shaft connected to said jackshaft and the opposite end ofits shaft connected to said suction-creating means.

7. In a suction cleaner of the type having an ambulatory body includinga nozzle and dirtseparating means and a pivoted handle unit includingsuction-creating means and a driving motor therefor; a surface agitatorin said nozzle, a suction air passageway in said body from said nozzleto the rear of said body, a tubular member pivotally connecting saidhandle unit to said body'and connecting said air passageway in said bodywith said suction-creating means in said handle unit, and powertransmitting means in the air stream in said tubular member connecting,said motor in said handle unit to said agitator and including a jackshaft in said tubular 8. In a suction cleaner of the type having anambulatory body including a nozzle and dirtseparating means and apivoted handle unit including suction-creating means and a driving motortherefor having its shaft within said handle unit; a surface agitator insaid nozzle, a tubular member pivotally connecting said handle unit tosaid body, bearing means in said tubular member supporting a jack shaftin said tubular member at the pivotal axis of said handle unit, saidjack shaft connected to said motor shaft in said tubular member, andmeans connecting said jack shaft to said agitator.

WILLIAM D. SELLERS.

